Carding-engine.



- -5. PATENTED AUG. 27' 1907. NO M. COLLINS,

GARDING ENGINE.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onruon.

MIGHAELOOLLINS, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARD ING-E NGINE Patented Augr27, 1907.

Application filed June 30,1905. Serial No. Z67,683|

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL COLLINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Carding- Engines and the Like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention has relation to carding engines, and has for its general objects to facilitate the straightening of the fibers which are operated upon, to decrease the strain upon the fibers while being operated upon,

and breakage of the said fibers, to increase the efficiency of a carding engine, and to effect the separation of burs and other 'foreign matter from the fibers. The invention is applicable to machines for operating upon various fibers, but I have contemplated more especially its employment in machines for operating upon wool and cotton.

The drawings show an embodiment of the invention in a wool carding engine.

In the same,-Figure 1 is a diagram of parts of a wool carding engine containing an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the licker-in cylinder which is hereinafter described, and the burguard or bur-guard cylinder which cooperates therewith. Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing, respectively, the driving-connections at the opposite sides of the machine Having reference to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. l thereof,-A portion of the feedapron of a carding engine is shown at g, and one of the supporting and'actuating rolls for the said feedapron is represented at 9. At 6, f, are a pair of feed rolls to which the fibers placed upon the feed-apron are advanced by the movement of the latter. At 0, r], are two fluted rolls to which the fibers are presented by the feed-rolls e, f. An endless apron h, is shown extended around the fluted roll d and a carrier-roll h, and passing between the two rolls 0, (I. At a is a toothed cylinder to which the fibers pass from the fluted rolls, the said cylinder constituting in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the licker-in of a carding engine, and b is a bur-guard or bur-guard cylinder, the blades of which cooperate with the teeth of the cylinder (1. cylinder taking the fibers from the 1icker-in a, and at y is shown a portion of the main cylinder of a carding engine, which latter cylinder receives the fibers from the tumbler or intermediary cylinder 9:. A ledgerblade acting in connection with the surface of the tumbler x is shown at i.

The drawings indicate simply the general character of the peripheries of the rolls e, f, c, d, and a, b. The feed-rolls e, f, have toothed peripheries. The teeth thereof point backwardly or reversely with relation At an is a tumbler or intermediary to the direction of the rotation of the said rolls, as indicated by Fig. 1.. The teeth of one feed-roll intermesh with those of the other. Usually, the said feedro1ls will be furnished with ordinary saw-toothed clothing. They may be clothed with saw-toothed licker-in Wire, wound in spirals around the respective rolls, and with the spiral of one roll the opposite or reverse of that of the other roll in order that the lines of teeth of the two rolls may intermesh properly with one another. Or, as frequently the case in practice in carding engines and the like machines, the feed-rolls may be clothed with closely set pointed teeth, such, for instance, as the wellknown so-called cock-spur teeth and tenter-hook teeth.

The fluted rolls are constructed properly to permit the apron h to work between them. The purpose of the said apron is as usual in the case of the like combination of an endless apron with a pair of fluted rolls; namely, to prevent the fibers from being crushed and thereby injured while grasped between the said rolls. 7 The cylinder a is furnished with pointed teeth a, a, etc., which are arranged in lines extending parallel with one another lengthwise of the cylinder, and spaced uniformly around the circumference thereof. Conveniently, in practice, the said cylinder a may be built of a shaft or body, and rings having peripheral sawteeth strung on said shaft or body in alternation with plain or untoothed spacing rings, as frequently the case in the constructtion of rolls and cylinders of carding engines. The bur-guard or bur-guard cylinder b is provided, as in the case of the like cylinders in other carding engines, burring machines, etc., with radial blades 1), 1), etc., which are spaced uniformly around the circumference of such cylinder, and extend parallel with one another lengthwise of the said cylinder b. The blades 12, b, etc., of the bur-guard or burguard cylinder b intermesh with the lines of teeth a, a of the cylinder a. 7 That is to say, the peripheral edges of the said blades intersectand project within the circular path which is described by the teeth a, a, of the cylinder a. Thc said blades 1), b, alternate in sequence with the lines of teeth a, a, etc.

The tumbler r and main cylinder g, which are indicated simply in outline by dotted lines, are furnished in practice with toothed clothing of approved character, which may, in most instances, be ordinary wire card-clothing.

The surface speed of the feed rolls is relatively small, as, for instance, about one foot per minute. That of the fluted rolls 0, d, is relatively a little faster, as, for instance, about four feet perminute. The toothed cylind er or licker-in a and bur-guard or bur-gu ard cylinder b have a considerably higher relative speed than the fluted rolls, namely, about one hundred feet per minute. The tumbler has a proportionately higher surface speed, as for example, about four hundred feet per minute. That of the main cylinder y is much higher, for, example, about a thousand feet per minute. These speeds may be varied more or less in practice as may be found proper or advisable.

The leading ends of the fibers, as the latter advance from the rolls 0, d, are presented gradually to the teeth a a, and blades 1), b, and acted upon thereby. Such leading ends are gently brushed and combed by the said teeth and blades until they have beenadvanced by the rotation of the rolls 0, (l, to the point where the blades of the bur-guard interinesh with the teeth of the licker-in. Here, the said blades serve successively as supports by which the leading portions of the fibers are upheld and presented to the action of the teeth a. The said blades support the said portions of the fibers at front and rear, respectively, of a given line of teeth which may be in engagement with the fibers. The lines of teeth a, acting successively intermediate the successive blades 1) in the rotation of the cylinders, penetrate and pass through or between the fibers with a straightening and combing effect. The teeth will pass freely and fully between those fibers which are straight, but when a tooth a meets a snarl or tangle which is too hard to be combed out atonce, the snarl or tangle will be permitted to give or yield and will slip off the apex of that tooth, and also off the apices of the teeth which next succeed in action, thereby obviating breakage of fibers, until, under the repeated attacks of the teeth, it finally is loosened and caused to yield. The repeated contact of successive lines of teeth of the intermediate cylinder a with the fibers during the gradual feed of the latter effectuates a progressive combing and straightening of the fibers, beginning at the leading extremities of the latter and operating to gradually extend the straightening action toward the rear portions of the fibers as the latter are delivered by the rotation of the rolls 0, d, thereby rendering the action easy and harmless instead of harsh and provocative of breakage. As the leading ends of the fibers are presented to the teeth of the intermediate cylinder, they simply enter freely in among such teeth and the fibers are acted upon by the teeth without being snapped forward and broken. The fibers are not taken forward by the cylinder a until their rear ends are released from the bite of the grasping and holding fluted rolls 0, d.

In operation, the fluted rolls 0, d, and apron h cooperating therewith, take a positive hold upon the fibers which have been advanced to the same by the feedrolls 6, f, and in consequence of such positive hold, and the higher surface speed of the said fluted rolls and apron, these last draw the said fibers through or between the teeth of the more slowly moving feed-rolls e,f. This has the result of effecting a slight combing of the fibers, extending them somewhat in the direction of their length, and making them lie straight and parallel with one another in the direction extending from the feed-apron g to the rolls 0, d, so that in advancing farther within the machine they shall travel onward endwise or substantially so. By effecting the preliminary straightening of the fibers and causing them to travel endwise, or substantially so, to the instrumentalities by which the next operation in the machine is performed, such operation is facilitated and expedited, and the capacity of the machine is increased,

while the tendency to breakage of the fibers is reduced. As the leading ends of the fibers advance from the fiuted rolls 0, d, and apron h toward the licker-in cylinder (1 and bur-guard cylinder b, the teeth a, a, etc., of the licker-in cylinder act upon the same from above, while the blades b, 5, etc, of the bur-guard I) act against the same from beneath. Burs and other foreign matters attached to or accompanying the fibers are, by the action of the teeth a a, of the licker-in cylinder a,

forced downward and forward, while by the action of the blades 1), b, of the bur-guard cylinder 1) they are pushed forward, and thus they become loosened and detached. As soon as detached from the fibers and free therefrom, the burs or other foreign matters drop into the pockets or spaces between the blades 1), b, from which pockets or spaces they discharge under the force of gravity as the rotary motion of the guard-cylinder carries such pockets or spaces to the under side of the cylinder. By the rotation of licker-in cylinder [1. the fibers are extended forward lengthwise toward the tumbler x. The combing, straightening, and separating action upon the leading portions of the fibers continues until the rear portions of the fibers have passed from the grasp of the fluted rolls a, d and their apron h. As soon as the fibers are released from such grasp, they are drawn forward by the tumbler 00 between and past the cylinders 11, b, the rear portions of the fibers being instantly drawn lengthwise by the said tumbler on to and through or between the teeth a, a, of the licker-in cylinder a, and the blades b, b of the bur-guard cylinder b, thereby causing such portions to be combed and straightened in being pulled through the said teeth a, a, and past the bur-guard cylinder 1), and causing burs and other foreign matters not previously removed by the action of the cylinders a and b, or tending to accompany the fibers as the latter are drawn forward by tumbler x, to be stripped from the fibers by the con- 'joint action of the said teeth and blades. The fibers after being carriedforward by the tumbler ."c are transferred to the main cylinder 3 By the machine as thus explained, the fibers are progressively straightened, disentangled, and parallelized, the action beginning with the leading or advancing ends thereof and continuing throughout the length thereof; they are arranged to extend lengthwise in the direction of their travel though the machine; and they continue to travel lengthwise through the same. The ledgerbladc 'i'acts in connection with the tumbler x to remove from the latter any loose foreign matter that may reach the same. I

Briefly restated, it will be perceived from the foregoing description that the licker-in cylinder (1 and burguard cylinder I) operate first upon the leading portions of the fibers to straighten and comb such portions and remove the burs therefrom through their forward action upon such portions while the succeeding portions are held in the bite of the grasping and holding rolls 0, d, and that the said cylinders then perform the like operations upon the rear portions of the fibers, as

soon as the rear ends of the latter are released from the v bite of the grasping and holding rolls 0, d, as the fibers are drawn forward with respect to such cylinders by the more rapidly rotating tumbler (c, the teeth a of the cylinder a performing the combing and straightening operations upon the said rear portions as the fibers are pulled therethrough and the burs and other foreign matters being held back by the said teeth and the blades 1).

An important and characteristic feature of the lickerin cylinder at is the fact that the teeth of the same are arranged to work smoothto point, as it may be termed, with relation to the grasping and holding rolls 0, d, and first point to point and then smooth to point with relation to I the tumbler x. The expression smooth to point as commonly employed in the art, and as employed herein, has reference to the action of the teeth of the rolls or cylinders of a carding mechanism or the like with respect to the fibers, and as used in the present connection indicates the fact that the teeth of lickerin cylinder a, moving points backward, operate to brush, straighten, and comb the fibers which are held in the grasp of rolls 0, d, without pulling the said fibers forward in the machine. The expression point to to point, as used herein with reference to the action of the licker-in cylinder a at first upon the fibers with relation to the tumbler 90, indicates that during such action the teeth of the cylinder (1 operate to hold or detain the fibers against the tendency of the teeth of tumbler x, the latter teeth rotating points foremost, to draw the fibers forward to the said tumbler. While the fibers continue to be thus held or detained their leading portions are combed and straightened by the action of the teeth of tumbler x. The expression smooth to point as used herein with reference to the action of the said cylinder with relation to the tumbler, indicates that during such action the fibers are released by the lickerin cylinder a to the tumbler x and are carried forward by the teeth of the latter. The point to point action occurs in the case of a given tooth or teeth of the lickerin cylinder while such tooth or teeth is or are in position during the rotation of the said cylinder to detain the fibers against the pull that is exerted thereon by the teeth of the tumbler; while the smooth to point action occurs when the tooth or teeth has or have been carried by the rotation of the licker-in cylinder around into a position in which the fibers are yielded up without resistance. The cylinder?) as will be perceived, has two functions, one thereof being to sustain the fibers against the action of the teeth of cylinder at, in which respect it acts as a rotary grid, and the other thereof being to effect or assist in effecting the removal of burs and other foreign matters from the fibers. In some cases, the said cylinder may be omitted, or it may be replaced by a substitute device for the performance of these functions or of either thereof. I do not limit myself to the particular arrangement of the cylinders 11, b, with relation to each other and to the adjacent elements of the machine as shown and described herein, inasmuch as the relative positions may be varied without necessarily involving departure from the principles of the invention.

For the purpose of actuating the feed-rolls e, f, and fluted rolls 0, d, a driving-band to, Figs. 3 and 4, passes around a band-pulley 1) having fast therewith a pinion 0 the said pulley and pinion being suitably mounted upon the machine-frame. The pinion '11 engages with the gear-wheel '1) which is fast on the shaft n of the lower fluted roll (I, as shown best in Fig. 4. The said fluted roll (1 by its rotation communicates'movement to the apron. h and upper fluted roll 0. Motion is transmitted from the lower fluted roll d to the lower feed-roll f by means of a pinion q, Fig. 4, which is fast upon the shaft n of the said lower fluted roll d, a carrier pinion r, and a gear-wheel s which is fast upon one journal of the said lower feed-roll f. The upper feed-roll e is driven from the lower feed-roll f by means of a pinion a, Fig. 3, which is fast upon one journal of the feed-roll f and meshes with a like pinion t which is fast upon one journal of the feed-roll e. Motion is transmitted to the burguard b from the tumbler x by means of a gear j upon one journal :0 of the latter, meshing with a gear 10 which is fast upon one journal of the bur-guard. From the bur-guard b the licker-in cylinder (1 is driven by means of a pinion m which is fast upon one journal of the burguard and meshes with a pinion Z which is fast upon one journal of the licker-in cylinder a.

I claim as my invention 1. In a carding 01' the like machine, the combination with devices operating to feed or advance the fibers and .hold the same firmly while the leading portions thereof are of the said feeding devices, the said intermediary cylinder,

operating smooth to point with relation to the feeding devices, to thereby comb and straighten the said leading portions of the fibers, and operating first point to point and then smooth topoint with relation to the said toothed cylinder, to thereby comb the rear portions of the fibers as they are drawn forward by the toothed cylinder and then deliver the fibers freely to' the latter, substantially as described.

2. In a carding or the like machine, the combination with devices operating to feed or advance the fibers and hold the same firmly while the leading portions thereof are combed and straightened, and a toothed cylinder, of an i11- termediary toothed cylinder and actuating means for the said intermediary toothed cylinder communicating thereto a surface speed considerably exceeding the speed of the said feeding devices, the said intermediary cylinder operating' smooth to point with relation to the feeding devices, to thereby comb and straighten the said leading portions of the fiber, and operating first point to point and then smooth to point with relation to the said toothed cylinder to thereby comb the rear portions of the fibers as they are drawn forwardly by the toothed cylinder and then deliver the fibers freely to the latter, and means to sustain the fibers against the action of the teeth of the intermediary cylinder.

8. In a carding or the like machine, the combination with devices operating to advance the fibers and hold the same firmly while the leading portions thereof are combed and straightened, and a toothed cylinder, of intermediary combing and burring devices operating smooth to point with relation to thefeeding devices to thereby comb and straighten the leading portions of the fibers and remove the burs and other foreign matters therefrom, and operating first point to point and then smooth to point with relation to the said toothed cylinder to thereby comb the rear portions of the fibers and remove burs and other for eign matter therefrom as the fibers are drawn forward by the said cylinder, and then deliver the fibers freely to the latter.

4. In a carding or the like machine, the combination with the fluted rolls operating to hold the fibers firmly while the leading portions thereof are being combed and straightened, and the toothed cylinder, of the intermediary cylinder and actuating means for the said intermediary toothed cylinder communicating thereto a surface speed considerably exceeding; the speed of the said feeding devices, the said intermediary cylinder operating smooth to point with relation to the said fluted rolls to thereby comb and straighten the leading portions of the fibers which are advanced by the said rolls, and operating first point to point and then smooth to point with relation to the said toothed cylinder to thereby comb the rear portions of the fibers as they are drawn forward by the toothed cylinder and then deliver the fibers freely to the latter, substantially as described.

In a carding or the like machine, the combination with the fluted rolls operating to hold the fibers firmly while the leading portions thereof are being combed and straightened, and the toothed cylinder, of the intermediary cylinder operating smooth to point with relation to the said fluted rolls to thereby comb and straighten the leading portions of the fibers which are advanced by the said rolls, and operating first point to point and then smooth to point with relation to the said toothed cylinder to thereby comb the rear portions of the fibers as they are drawn forward by the toothed cylinder and then deliver the fibers freely to the latter, and the bur-guard between which and the intermediary cylinder the fibers are caused to advance.

6. in a carding or the like machine, the combination with the rolls 0, 7, having the backwardly-pointing teeth, of the iluted rolls 0, (1, operating to draw the fibers through the said teeth and thereby eilect a preliminary straightening thereof, the toothed cylinder, and the intermediary cylinder operating smooth to point with relation to the fluted rolls and first point to point and then smooth to point with relation to the toothed cylinder, substantially as described.

7. In a carding or the like machine, the combination with the rolls 6, f, having the backwardly-pointing teeth, of the fluted rolls 0, (l, operating to draw the fibers through the said teeth and thereby effect a preliminary straightening thereof, the toothed cylinder, the intermediary cylinder operating smooth to point with relation to the fluted rolls and first point to point and then smooth to point with relation to the toothed cylinder, and the bur-guard cotiperating with the said intermediary cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL COLLINS.

Witnesses CHAS. F. RANDALL, EDITH II. ANDnRsoN. 

